


Snake - Aziraphale x Crowley (finished)

by Galaxi_Jane



Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:55:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29020047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galaxi_Jane/pseuds/Galaxi_Jane
Summary: Crowley finds Aziraphale in trouble but the Angel won't reveal why. When Crowley tries to help, he finds he only makes things worse. But when the demon decides he's better off leaving, the angel begs him not to go and reveals the truth about what has happened.I Do not own characters, the series, book or movie, or any images used. I only take credit for this fanfiction written and any original characters
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

A mystical hum filled the air. Notes of beauty danced across the room. If he hadn't known what it meant, he would of listened to the sounds in serenity. Blissful enjoyment of the magical music. But he did. He spun around knowing exactly what he expected to see. He was afraid. He wanted to protect himself, but he couldn't. All he could do was meet the fearsome eyes of the creature now before him. 

Before he could even register what had happened, blood fell from his upper arm. He hissed in pain, grabbing onto the wound. But the next instant was another strike, piercing far below the skin, this one tore a chunk of flesh from his neck. He whimpered, falling to the ground. The warmth of his blood clung to his rapidly cooling skin.

He was losing focus on the being before him. He tried begging.

"Please! Stop! Please no don't!" Another fierce strike and he had managed to block himself from his attacker's attempt. Uncontrolled tears fell from his face in the agony he faced. It was always the same. He always thought that he'd be able to face it. Always thought it couldn't be as bad as he remembered. But here he was again, whimpering and begging for mercy. 

With one last attack to his neck once more, he lost all remaining senses. The sound of his heartbeat racing, faded away. The smell of blood leaving his nose and the eyes of his attacker, fading away with the impending darkness, until he was left in a dark nothingness.


	2. Chapter 2

"Aziraphale!" Crowley called into the bookshop. He had been able to smell the Angel's blood from the second he had opened the door. Crowley rushed through, noting the blood that splattered over the floor and wall behind it.  
"Aziraphale!" He called again.

"It's all right dear, I'm just out back," the Angel responded. Crowley calmed ever so slightly when hearing the Angel's voice, but it was short-lived when he crashed his way into the Angel's bedroom and seeing him sitting at his mirrored dresser, applying a bandage onto his arm and seeming to already have another one covering his neck. 

Aziraphale looked at Crowley with a light smile. Before standing up and taking the Demon's hand in his own. 

"I'm okay."

"This isn't okay Angel," Crowley murmured, his eyes stuck on the bandage around Aziraphale's neck. The blood slightly visible under the bandage.  
"Who... Who did this?"

The whites of Aziraphale's eyes had turned a sickly yellow with bloodshot veins. His face a purplish pale and beads of sweat fell from his forehead. 

"Crowley, dear, it's okay. I'll be fine." Crowley didn't want to rest until he had the answers he needed, but he knew that for now at least, Aziraphale wasn't going to give them. He knew his angel had a tendency to keep secrets. Often for stupid reasons, so the demon thought. But eventually he'd get Aziraphale to tell him. 

Crowley didn't mention when he saw Aziraphale wobble and stumbled his way out of the room. He invited the demon to sit on the couch with him, as they shared their wine, as often they did.

"So any news from your side?" Aziraphale asked. Crowley shook his head. 

"No, none. It's been two years. I really think they plan on leaving us alone." The demon scanned over the angel. "Me at least." Aziraphale rolled his eyes and sighed.

"I told you it's fine."

"Angel, look at the state of you! You look like you're on the verge of death!"

"But you know I'm not."

"Do I!?" Crowley retorted. "I don't even know what's happening to you! If you were dead you'd be discorporated! If you were damaged by a celestial weapon you'd be destroyed and turned to ash! And if it was just an everyday injury, you'd be healed by now! So how the hell am I supposed to know what's happening!" 

Aziraphale couldn't help the happiness and gratefulness he felt that the demon hadn't seen these symptoms before. Crowley's eyes widened at the small smile resting on the angel's face.

"Oh my..." Crowley whispered. "Has this... Happened before?" Aziraphale's eyes never left the demon, but not a word left his mouth.  
"It has!? Angel why didn't you tell me!?"

"Crowley... It's not something you can do anything about."

"I can try!"

"Crowley, listen to me. There's nothing you can do. If you try, things will get worse." Aziraphale tried to ignore the hurt on Crowley's face.

"But Aziraphale..." He sighed when he saw the blonde's resolute expression. He just quietly took Aziraphale's glass and poured more wine into it. An exhausted breath left the angel as he handed him back the glass. Gently, the Angel rested his head against Crowley's shoulder. 

"I'm so glad you're here dear." He murmured. Both the action and the words shook Crowley. He wasn't used to this level of affection. From the Angel. But he accepted it. His angel was weak and he knew it. Relaxing a little, he shuffled his arm behind Aziraphale, causing the angel to nestle closer. It wasn't until a long while later that Crowley truly would understand the sincerity of those words, but until such a time, he simply responded with:

"I'll always be here angel."


	3. Chapter 3

Considering how rarely the angel slept, Crowley was shocked by how's quickly Aziraphale had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He scooped the angel into his arms, and carefully carried him to the bedroom. As he lay the angel down, he noticed the bandage coming loose. 

Stepping over to the dresser, he picked up the unused bandages before beginning to carefully unwind the bandage on the angels neck. 

A horrified gasp left the demon at the sight. Two deep gashes lanced his flesh apart. A darkening blackness spreading around his uninjured skin. He looked between the Angel's torn apart neck.

"What the hell did this to you?" He murmured. Crowley hovered his hand millimeters above the injury. Willing his power, he tried desperately to miracle away the gash. But it did nothing. In fact, as he looked at the Angel's distorted face, he wondered if he made it worse. He's eyes widened in certainty when the blackness seemed to spread like spilled paint.

Crowley backed away as the angel whimpered in pain in his slumber. The darkness almost covered his whole neck now. 'if you try, things will get worse' Aziraphale had told him. Suddenly the marks stopped spreading and the look of pain on the Angel's face disappeared. 

Slowly, the redhead strutted back to the Angel's side and carefully rebandaged the wound. The blonde stirred a little, his bright blue eyes reaching up to Crowley's golden ones.

"Sorry Angel," he whispered, going back to his bandaging.   
"I'm pretty sure I made it worse." Aziraphale lightly lifted a hand up to his neck and shut his eyes.

"It's quite alright dear. I know you just wanted to help." A rare sadness became visible in the Demon's eyes as he looked at his strong and powerful Angel, bedridden and weak. Aziraphale reached his hand out and grabbed Crowley's.  
"Stay with me, won't you?" Crowley hesitated before nodding, slipping onto the bed next to Aziraphale.

The angel blushed a little as he closed the gap between them. His head on the Demon's chest and an arm over his stomach. Crowley readjusted himself to accommodate the angel. His arm stretching around and oh so softly brushing his fingers over the Angel's arm. 

Aziraphale shut his eyes and hummed in content. The angel didn't even realize he spoke until the demon responded.

"Can't we just stay like this?"

"If it's what you want angel." Blue eyes inched their way up to Crowley's. He could see concern and sincerity in them.

"It's all I could ever want."

"Then what's the problem?" Aziraphale tried to shuffle away a little, only for Crowley to tighten his grip on the Angel. Aziraphale looked at him with an undefinable look across his face. It was all Crowley wanted as well, and if his angel did too, then he'd be ready and willing to fight for it.

"It's..." The blonde sighed. "It's just too dangerous." The defeated look on the Angel's face was heart wrenching for the demon. It tore apart his soul. 

"Angel," the Demon's tone was hard yet gentle. His free hand resting over the Angel's. "You know I'll always protect you right?" For some reason, those words seemed to send pain into the Angel's eyes.

"I... I know that's what you want Crowley... But..." Aziraphale couldn't finish.

"But what?" Aziraphale shook his head. His memories flashed to the surface.

"Please Crowley, no more. Not tonight." The Angel's voice was begging. His eyes pleading. Crowley nodded worriedly before pulling the angel closer. Slowly the angel began to fall into a much needed sleep. The demon lightly kissed the top of the Angel's head. He'd never felt a fear for his angel so desperately before. He had to find out what had happened.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Aziraphale woke to a terrible fright. Music seemed to play through the bookshop. Trauma ran across the Angel's face as he rushed up, despite his aches and hurried into the main area. 

Cackling notes came from the gramophone until Aziraphale hurriedly stopped the sounds. His breathing was hard and sharp and stung his lungs.

"Aziraphale?" The angel jumped with a frightened little whimper as he turned to face the demon who held a plate in his hand with two crepes on it.

Instinctively, Aziraphale stepped back as Crowley stepped forward, causing him to unintentionally hit the gramophone and cause a loud bump.

"S... S-sorry." Aziraphale muttered. Crowley looked up and down and saw the Angel shaking from head to toe. 

"Angel? Are you scared of me?" The blonde didn't have it in him to answer in that moment. All he could see in his mind were the workings of that night.  
"I... I should leave." Crowley declared as he put the plate down. Aziraphale's eyes widened and he swiftly rushed after the demon who was already at the door. Both hands wrapped around Crowley's arm. Tears fell from the Angel's eyes.

"Please don't go." He begged desperately. The shook demon turned back around and saw how broken the angel looked. In calculated strength, so as not to hurt the angel, Crowley gripped his upper arms.

"Angel, you need to tell me what's happened. You need to let me help you." Tearfully, Aziraphale's eyes raised to Crowley's. 

"Promise me you won't leave if I do?"

"Why would I?"

"Please Crowley. Please promise that if I tell you, you won't go."

"I promise Angel." Aziraphale nodded before turning around and walking over to his desk. He pulled something out covered in a dark blue silk, before sitting on the couch. Crowley quietly sat next to him giving him the room to talk. With shaky hands, Aziraphale slowly undid the silk wrapping to display a hollowed out piece of wood with two pipes on the end of it and fancy carvings on the surface of the smoothed timber.

"Do you know what this is?" Aziraphale asked quietly. Crowley shook his head.  
"You've never seen one before?" Crowley raised an eyebrow at the angel.

"No, I've never seen it before." Aziraphale inhaled a shaky breath.

"Crowley... This is a snake charmer." 

"What one of those flutes that snakes supposedly dance to?" Aziraphale nodded.

"Gabriel got his hands on one."

"Yeah and?" Aziraphale's eyes met the Demon's.

"It's a common misconception that the snakes are dancing. Snake charmers control snakes. Most humans play harmless melodies, but Gabriel doesn't."

"What, he controls snakes and forces them to attack you?" The redhead was sure he saw a moment of pity in the Angel's expression.

"Not snakes Crowley... Just one." It took a while of staring at the angel before Crowley understood. The colour drained from his face and his eyes were like saucers. 

"M...m-me?" He asked weakly. Aziraphale nodded.   
"B...b... But how?"

"He thought that if hellfire couldn't destroy me and holy water couldn't destroy you, then we must be able to destroy each other. The Serpent inside you responds to the snake charmer, so Gabriel has been using it on you."

"I.. I did this to you?" Crowley immediately stood up, backing away.

"No, Crowley, don't think that. You didn't do anything!"

"I... I tried to kill you?" Crowley murmured. His eyes shot to the Angel's.  
"How many times?"

"Crowley please..."

"HOW MANY TIMES!?" Crowley watched as Aziraphale shut his eyes and flinched in fear. The demon felt his guilt knot his chest.

"Every month for the past two years." Crowley sharply inhaled. Two years. Two years? He continued backing towards the door.  
"Crowley!" Aziraphale chased after him. "You promised you wouldn't leave!" The demon was torn.

"Sorry Angel, that was before." With that, the demon turned and left. Aziraphale stood alone in the bookshop, wishing he hadn't told his best friend the truth. 

Meanwhile Crowley was screaming through the streets of London, trying to clear his head. How could he not know he was hurting his angel? How could Aziraphale still stand to be near him? Why hadn't Aziraphale told him earlier. As he drove, he heard his phone ringing, and at a glance, he saw it was his Angel. With no second thought, he hung up and threw the phone out the window.

He couldn't be near Aziraphale right now. He couldn't risk hurting him. He almost could hear the illusion of Aziraphale telling him he wouldn't. But he would. The second Gabriel played that snake charmer, he'd be on his way to kill his best friend. 

Suddenly, Crowley looked to the side to see Aziraphale had materialized into the car. The car violently swerved before pulling over on the side of the road.

"What the hell are you doing Angel!?"

"Sorry Crowley, but I can't let you go around letting yourself believe that even a part of this is your fault."

"But it is Angel! If I wasn't here, you wouldn't be in danger."

"My love, the universe doesn't work that way. You are here and you do exist and you have done absolutely nothing to cause this. You have no control over this. I know you would never hurt me. And you're not The one that hurt me. Gabriel merely used your body."

"Why angel? Why aren't you running for your life? Why are you so determined to be next to the creature who has tried to kill you 24 times?"

"I should think it would be obvious by now." Crowley just blankly stared at him.  
"My dear, I thought you knew. I love you." Crowley's eyes widened yet again.

"You what?"

"I love you Crowley."

"But I'm a demon! A Serpent!"

"And I love both of those things about you to."

"But..." Aziraphale smiled lightly.

"There is no buts dear. I love you. All of you." Crowley just sat, starstruck.  
"Honestly dear, after all this time, do you really not know that?"


	5. Chapter 5

Once Crowley had regained his bearings, he drove himself and the angel back to the bookshop. Crowley's heart was feeling so overwhelmed, he was sure it would crack under the pressure. 

He hadn't realised how long he'd been sitting in the car until Aziraphale opened his door and held a hand out for him to take. The demon let himself be guided back inside. 

"Crowley..." Aziraphale began once the demon was seated. The shake in the Angel's words brought the demon back to life.   
"I meant what I said. I love you. But I want you to understand, that comes with absolutely no obligation to love me back. But in saying that... My dear, I don't want to live in a world without you on my side..." Crowley gripped onto the Angel's hands tighter than he meant to but his emotions were just too strong for him to realize and the angel wasn't going to tell him.

"My Angel, we're on our side, remember? I promised you that. And I stand by it. I'll always be on your side. And how could you even question my love for you? I love you more that anything in all of her creations. You are the only thing in this universe worth living for." Tears began falling from the Angel's eyes but this time, not in pain or sadness, but in true undying and ineffable love.

Crowley drew Aziraphale into him. It was a beautiful moment held by the two. A moment they'd remember for the rest of their lives. The following moment however, was one they'd pray to forget.

"How disgusting," the horrible voice spoke. Crowley and Aziraphale both stiffened and turned to face the words. There, Gabriel stood looking down on the angel and demon.   
"You Aziraphale, shouldn't even still exist!" Crowley let in a violent inhaled breath. A light hand rested on the demon, marginally calming him.

"What do you want Gabriel?" The archangel smirked.

"It seems I've been making a mistake while playing. But don't worry, I've corrected it now." The Angel's eyes widened, he knew about the mistake in Gabriel's melodies. If Gabriel found it, Crowley would certainly kill him this time. 

Gabriel brought the instrument to his mouth and began to play. A mystical harmony filled the air. In a rush Aziraphale flung his arms around the Demon. 

"I love you Crowley. I have all along. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I'm sorry it's come to this. Please be safe." Aziraphale rushed through. The demon and his fearful eyes had stiffened. Against his will, his body began to transform. It grew metres and metres longer and scales appeared. The giant and deadly serpent appeared before him. They bore Crowley's eyes, though he could see the failure to recognize him in their pupils. 

Aziraphale had been correct. Gabriel had fixed the melody. The angel rushed up and backed away from the impending snake. The snake took a strike at the angel, barely missing and hitting the wall behind him. Then another, which only missed the angel by a hair as he dodged. But as he looked around for an escape, he realised, there was none. The Serpent was by far faster than him and he even if the angel was stronger, there was no way he'd ever hurt Crowley. Aziraphale sighed. He'd made his decision.

"Please just do it quickly," He whispered. As though on cue, the sharp fangs bit into Aziraphale's shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain. Even once the Serpent released him, he could feel the venom seeping into him. Violently, he fell to the ground, losing the ability to breathe. He reached for air, losing sight in the process.

In an instant, rushed pictures entered into the Serpent's head. Crowley walking past the bookshop to see it stripped and bare. Sitting on a park bench alone, Miracling bread to feed the ducks. Dining out at a two seater table, only to stare at an empty chair. All of a sudden, Crowley could see again. His angel in a ball on the ground. His whimpers and cries, drowning out the flute. 

Rage entered the demon like nothing he'd ever felt before. He slithered carefully, coiling himself several times around his injured angel defensively. He turned to face Gabriel who had stopped playing in surprise. Crowley couldn't control his anger. He violently struck the archangel, letting his venom sink in before tearing out a chunk of his neck. He then struck over and over until the blood had dispersed from his body. The venom from the demon stretching out from several bite marks into the archangel's soul, destroying it once and for all.

A flash of light and the once archangel turned to nothing but dust. A mercy, Crowley thought, he didn't deserve.

The second Gabriel was gone, Crowley transformed back into his usual self, hurrying to his knees by the Angel's side. The Angel was barely alive, trying desperately to hold on. Tears broke down the Demon's cheeks. He wasn't ready to lose his angel. He couldn't.

Crowley held the Angel against his chest. The blood from the angel seeping onto the demon. Roughly, the demon kissed the top of the Angel's hair. 

"I love you, my beautiful Angel." He murmured into his head. With a moan, he pulled the angel onto his lap. His arms refused to leave his cold angel. His heart was cracking. He felt so lost and so confused. He would have done anything in that moment to save his angel.


	6. Chapter 6

Bright warmth filled the room and a gentle breeze ran across the Angel's skin as he lightly stirred. He could feel his hair being lightly petted with a gentle scratching of his scalp.His eyes blinked open and he found his head resting on the Demon's thigh while his arm gripped onto his shirt. His eyes wandered up and met the Demon's. Crowley looked down on him and smiled lightly, still brushing his fingers through the blonde locks.

With a slow movement, the Demon's free hand covered the Angel's.

"How are you feeling?" Crowley murmured. Aziraphale sighed in content.

"I'm pretty sure this is the best I've ever felt in my life," the angel replied, pulling himself closer to the redhead. Crowley let out a breath that sounded like relief.

Eventually, after sitting contently for probably half an hour, the angel scooted up so he was face to face with the demon. He frowned a little before he spoke.

"Can you... Tell me what happened dear?" Crowley looked down before replying.

"I took a pretty nasty bite out of your shoulder. The venom started reacting with you pretty quickly. I regained control not long after and was able to use that ancient computer of yours to Google how to make an antivenom. Luckily it worked. After that, I was able to heal the wounds."

"But how did you wake yourself? Gabriel fixed the melody, you shouldn't have been able to until I was... Until you... Until the task was complete." The demon frowned. 

"I just could see a world without you in it... And I couldn't accept it." Aziraphale reached over and took Crowley's hand.

"And Gabriel?"

"He's gone Angel."

"I see..." Crowley felt fear in his chest at the Angel's tone.

"Angel? Do..." Very quickly, Aziraphale placed a finger over Crowley's lips. Aziraphale's eyes showed a determined look as he etched the Demon's golden orbs into his mind.

"I love you Crowley." Crowley pulled Aziraphale onto his lap. One arm wrapped gently on his cheek, while the other held and gently stroked his legs. Oh so softly, the Demon's lips locked onto his Angel's. Aziraphale gripped tightly onto Crowley. 

"We can stay like this angel, together. For the rest of our lives."

"That's all I could ever want."

"Then I swear to you. I'll be here, by your side forever. I love you angel."


End file.
